Revelations today that the Victorian Government has no data about alleged homophobic bullying in schools confirms what ‘Safe Schools’ founder Roz Ward has always said: the program is about LGBTIQ ideology, not anti-bullying.

Australian Christian Lobby Victorian Director Dan Flynn renewed calls for the $2 million program, which teaches children their gender is fluid, to be scrapped.

“Without parental consent, the Andrews Government is to make it compulsory from 2018 for ‘Safe Schools’ to be taught in every Victorian government high school,” Mr Flynn said.

“Of course, no child should be bullied for any reason but children should not be taught radical sexual concepts or gender theory that says they might be a girl trapped in a boy’s body.

“School toilet, shower and camp sleeping arrangements should not be changed to accommodate a program that is driven by ideology and tramples the rights of parents and girls.

“The ‘Safe Schools’ promotion of breast binding for girls, penis tucking for boys, the use of puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and even surgery ‘with or without parental consent’ are concepts most parents would be concerned about being promoted at school.

“Given the irreversible consequences of surgery and known harmful side effects of other body altering practices, the Victorian Government is potentially setting up a trailing legal liability when children in the future inevitably regret these school-encouraged choices,” Mr Flynn said.

Mr Flynn thanked Liberal Tim Smith whose questions on notice to the Victorian Education Department led to today’s revelations that there was no evidence of homophobic bullying in Victorian schools.

“Schools need to be ever vigilant against all forms of bullying, including of children who might be working through issues of sexual and gender identity. But clearly there is no case for teaching children contested and potentially harmful gender theory under the guise of anti-bullying,” Mr Flynn said.

More than 11,000 Victorians have signed ACL’s petition calling on the Andrews Government to give parents a say on whether or not their children are taught ‘Safe Schools’ http://www.acl.org.au/safeschools.